Colorable picture frame and system

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a paper wrapped picture frame molding strip containing a colorable design without any protective coating over the printed paper, The present invention is also the paper wrapped picture frame made from paper based picture frame molding strip(s) containing a colorable design without any protective coating over the printed paper. The present invention is also the system comprising coloring instruments (e.g., pencils, pens, markers, and the like) and a paper wrapped picture frame made from paper based picture frame molding strip(s) containing a colorable design without any protective coating over the printed paper. The present invention also includes the system comprising the coloring instruments, the paper wrapped picture frame made from paper based picture frame molding strip(s) containing a colorable design without any protective coating over the printed paper, and a protective coating that can be applied to the picture frame after it is colored.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/278,756 filed on Jan. 14, 2016 which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to picture frames. More specifically, the present invention relates to a picture frame that can be colored. The present invention also relates to systems for creating colored picture frames using pencils or markers. The invention further relates to a process for creating a paper wrapped picture frame that can be colored.

BACKGROUND

Generally, a picture frame is a relatively simple structure comprising four pieces (sides) joined together into a rectangular shape. The picture frame can be made of wood, metal, plastic, composites, or other materials. There are numerous ways to connect the pieces comprising the picture frame at its corners including staples, glue, nails, welds, etc. The corners can me made with mitered edges, they can be butt joints, or other types of joined ends.

Most commonly, people in need of a picture frame for a standard sized photograph, e.g., 4×6 or 8×10, purchase an off-the-shelf picture frame product from a big box retailer (e.g., CVS or Target), a general convenience store, a gift store, or a picture frame retailer, either in a brick and mortar store or via the internet. People also sometimes take a picture to a local picture framing store and select a prefabricated picture frame. A picture framing store or facility can create custom picture frames of varying sizes with numerous alternatives for the selection of borders and mattes, to select a means for hanging (hooks, wires, etc.), as well as other selectable options. A customized picture frame is more commonly sought when the picture to be framed is larger than a photograph and/or is oddly sized or shaped and/or when an appearance different than what is seen in available prefabricated frames is desired. For example, the desired picture frame may be a specific color to match a room decor or to match the color(s) in the picture to be framed, or to be a specific shape/profile, or to have a specific depth, etc. The appearance of the picture frame selected is ultimately dictated by personal preferences and the materials available for use, including the molding stock the framer has on hand or can purchase from molding strip manufacturers.

With the advancement of technology, the moldings that are used to create picture frames have changed significantly. The hand carved wood molding strip and the cast metal or plastic strips are still around and can be obtained, but they are expensive and, for real wood moldings, heavy.

For at least a few decades, with the application of laminates to strips of wood and wood composite substrate bases using a wrapping process, picture frame molding strips were made faster, less expensively, and with a significantly larger selection of appearances. The laminate, a composite sheet of pressurized and glued paper(s) in combination with resins/lacquers having a particular design, covered with protective coating(s) (topcoat) for hardness and durability, is heated, glued, and pressure wrapped around a wood or wood composite base material having a desired profile (and/or cut after wrapping). The resulting wrapped molding strips are easier to manipulate when fabricating the picture frame and are available in a large variety of colors, patterns, and designs. Since their first introduction to the market, laminate designs progressed from a simple single color (e.g., black, or white or green) to more detailed designs looking like wood grains, metals, and even partially accented metal foils. A picture frame having an MDF base (e.g., a strip of wood made of MDF) wrapped with a laminate that looks like brushed metal, for example, became possible. The appearances of the laminated moldings became dependent upon the designs on the manufactured laminates which were somewhat limited due to the expense with making the laminates. Machinery capable of creating high pressures, chemicals and resins/lacquers, time and space are all required to manufacture laminates. The machining capabilities of the picture frame molding manufacturer applying the laminates onto the strips of substrate also impacted options for available configurations.

Most recently, with the development of machinery that can 1) create papers containing digitally printed designs and then 2) coat the printed paper with a protective layer(s) prior to wrapping, picture frame manufacturing has become completely customizable without the need for the costly laminates that take longer to manufacture. Any design that can be created on a computer can be digitally printed onto paper and the desired protective coating can be quickly and less expensively applied to the printed paper. Similar to the function of a protective coating on the laminate, the protective coating, e.g., a cured UV coating on the printed papers, provides an ability to resist, at least to some degree, denting, scratching, chipping, and the like. The protective coating reduces the picture frames' chance/likelihood for fading and provides protection when the molding is cleaned (e.g, dusted or wiped down with cleaning chemicals), The protective coating could also be used to create a gloss or shine. The advancement of technology has provided a means for the creation of just about any printed design imaginable and that printed design can be applied to a substrate for creation of picture frame molding strips with those picture frame molding strips having the requisite protective coating(s) over the printed papers.

Using the new paper coated technologies, Applicant has created hundreds of different picture frame molding strips with different designs and profiles for use by picture framers in the fabrication of picture frames for customers. Up until now, however, neither Applicant nor anyone else in the industry has produced a paper wrapped molding strip without the protective coating. Indeed, until now, such a product has been undesirable as it would be vulnerable to damage during manufacture, shipment, fabrication by the picture framer, transport after it was made into a picture frame, and when put in place (e.g., mounted on the wall). An uncoated paper wrapped molding strip or picture frame was also undesirable because the printed paper is more susceptible to fade and wear and cleaning chemicals could damage the designs.

Currently, the application of the protective coating to the printed papers used to make wrapped molding strips is performed while the printed papers is flat—that is, before the wrapping process. Accordingly, rolls of printed, coated, paper are manufactured and those rolls are wrapped on molding strip substrates. The industry does not currently have a technology for mass producing uncoated molding strips with a post-wrapping protective coating application.

Simply put, it is completely counterintuitive to those in the industry to manufacture uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strips or to create a picture frame from an uncoated paper wrapped molding strip which is why it has not been done before.

Applicant, however, has created designs that can be printed on the papers and wrapped which create a new use for an uncoated product, a use that has also led Applicant to other related inventions. Applicant has invented new products, systems and processes relating to uncoated wrapped picture frames. Applicant has surprisingly discovered that a unique product can be created from an uncoated paper wrapped molding strip a colorable picture frame. Applicant has discovered that the same enjoyment people receive from coloring in a coloring book or on a canvas can be obtained through the coloring of a picture frame, a product that can be customized by the owner of the picture frame through the coloring process. Applicant has discovered a product and a system that allows people to purchase a colorable picture frame (with or without coloring instruments) which provides enjoyment through the coloring process along with the ability to create a customizable design on a picture frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

While the invention will be described in connection with certain embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. To the contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The invention is a paper based picture frame molding strip containing a colorable paper having a printed design thereon without any protective coating over the printed paper. The present invention is also the paper wrapped picture frame made from paper wrapped picture frame molding strip(s) containing a colorable design without any protective coating over the printed paper. The present invention is also the system comprising coloring instruments (e.g., pencils, pens, markers, and the like) and a picture frame made from paper wrapped picture frame molding strip(s) containing a colorable design without any protective coating over the printed paper. The present invention also includes the system comprising the coloring instruments, the picture frame made from paper wrapped picture frame molding strip(s) containing a colorable design without any protective coating over the printed paper, and a protective coating that can be applied to the picture frame after it is colored (e.g., a polyurethane or other urethane in liquid or spray form).

The appearance of the design(s) printed on the paper are unlimited in number. Any design imaginable can be digitally created and printed onto the paper. Likewise, there is no limit to the profile shape for the substrate strip used. The picture frame molding strip profile can be a standard “flat” profile, it could be rounded, grooved, or more elaborately shaped, having an indeterminable number of sizes and configurations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of an embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. Similar components of the devices are similarly numbered for simplicity.

FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of an uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strip containing a colorable design.

FIG. 2 shows other example profiles that can be used for an uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strip containing a colorable design according to the invention.

FIG. 3 shows the uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strip from FIG. 1 cut and fabricated into a rectangular picture frame.

FIG. 4 shows an example system according to the invention comprising an uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strip from FIG. 1 cut and fabricated into a rectangular picture frame and colored pencils.

FIG. 5 shows the spray application of a protective coating to a colored picture according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is being made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention. Selective embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made.

FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of an uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strip 100 containing a colorable design. The printed, uncoated paper is wrapped around some of the surfaces of the wood composite substrate strip. The particular profile shown in FIG. 1 is a standard flat (top surface) profile with single rabbet (recess or groove). The uncoated paper is shown wrapped over the front surface of the molding strip as well as the inside and outside of the molding strip. The design on the paper includes randomly placed geometric shapes sometimes in circular patterns. It is understood that the design printed on the paper(s) can be varied to almost any other two dimensional design or pattern, including partially colored designs. It is also understood that that the size of molding strip, including the profile shape, is not limited to the one example shown in FIG. 1. Rather, the invention can be made with any machineable profile including all of the profiles currently manufactured by Applicant.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wood composite substrate strip 10 has a length “L”, a height “H”, a width “W”, and a rabbet height “R”. Example dimensions for such a profile are ¾-inch H, 3-inches W, and ½-inch R. The length L of the molding strip when manufactured is typically ten feet long but longer and shorter lengths are possible and within the scope of the invention. The profile shown in FIG. 1 has a generally flat front surface 200, a generally flat outside surface 300, inside surface 400 including a generally flat indented surface the inside forming the rabbet 450, and a generally flat back surface 500. It is preferred, but not necessary, to have slightly rounded edges along the length L of the wood composite substrate strip 10, particularly at locations where the paper is wrapped onto the substrate strip 10, for improved adhesion of the paper to the substrate strip 10. Other example profile shapes are shown in FIG. 2 it being understood that the invention is not limited to the one profile shown in FIG. 1.

Substrate strip 10 can be made from MDF, wood, particle board, and the like. Substrate strip 10 is not limited to a wood composite material composition. Rather, substrate strip 10 can also be made from other materials such as metal, plastic, and combinations thereof.

Printed paper 20 typically has a 30 gram to 80 gram basis weight. The paper 20 has a top surface with the printed design and a bottom surface which is fixedly attached to the front surface of the substrate strip 10 using glue and/or heat, typically also with application of pressure.

FIG. 3 shows the uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strip 100 from FIG. 1 cut and fabricated into a rectangular picture frame 150. The corners of the picture frame 150 are mitered and connected together, it being understood that other joint configurations can be used including, tongue and groove, butt, mortise and tenon, dovetail, and the like. The rabbet “R” is positioned along the inner edge 605 of the picture frame 150 creating a recess/indentation on the back side 500 of the picture frame 150 for placement of a photograph into the frame 150 from the back side 500, with or without a piece of glass or plastic and/or matt(s). Most preferably, the printed paper 20 is wrapped around the inner edge 605 for a finished appearance, it being understood that it does not need to be wrapped around the inner edge 405. Similarly, it is also preferred to have the printed paper 20 wrapped around the outer edge 305 of the picture frame 150. The invention includes embodiments with colorable and non-colorable portions of the printed paper 20 on the inside 400 and the outside 300 surfaces of the picture frame 150. It may be more appealing to some people to have a colorable portion of the printed paper 20 only on the front 200 surface of the picture frame whereas others may prefer to color the outside 300 and/or the inside 400 surface.

Similarly, for other profiles, such as one of the angled profiles shown in FIG. 2, the colorable portion of the printed paper 20 could be positioned on only one of the angled sections of the front 200 surface of the molding strip 100 or on all of the angled surfaces on the front 200.

FIG. 3 shows part of the printed paper 20 on the picture frame 150 being colored-in using a coloring instrument 700. In FIG. 3, the coloring instrument is a marker, it being understood that other coloring instruments, such as colored pencils, crayons, pens, etc., are included within the scope of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the picture frame 150 can be colored by hand as desired allowing the owner to customize the picture frame's colors to match the picture that will be placed inside the picture frame 150. The coloring process is an enjoyable and creative activity considered by some to be therapeutic.

FIG. 4 shows an example system according to the invention comprising an uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strip cut and fabricated into a rectangular picture frame 150 with coloring instruments 700. The coloring instruments shown in FIG. 4 are colored pencils. The same partially colored picture frame 150 shown in FIG. 3 is also shown in FIG. 4.

Upon completion of the coloring of the picture frame, the user can place the desired picture and/or photograph into the picture frame. The picture frame can be placed on a flat surface (e.g., a desk) or it can be hung on a wall using conventional mechanisms and mounting devices.

While not necessary, for the reasons discussed above, application of a protective coating after completion of the coloring would help to preserve and to protect the colored picture frame. Accordingly, the invention also includes the system comprising an uncoated paper wrapped picture frame molding strip cut and fabricated into a picture frame, coloring instruments, and a protective coating. Preferably, the protective coating is a polyurethane or urethane that can be spray 900 applied to the colored picture frame as shown in FIG. 5. Other protective coatings included within the scope of the invention include liquids (e.g., polyurethane) that are brushed or wiped onto the colored picture frame. 

We claim:
 1. A colorable picture frame system comprising a picture frame, coloring instruments, and a protective coating; said picture frame comprising a wrapped wood composite molding strip cut and fabricated into a picture frame, said wrapped wood composite molding strip comprising a paper and a wood composite substrate, said paper having a printed design on a top surface with a bottom surface fastened to at least a front surface of said substrate, wherein said top surface of said paper does not have any protective coating over the printed design, said coloring instruments comprising at least one from the group consisting of pencils, markers, crayons, and pens; and said protective coating comprising a urethane or polyurethane based liquid.
 2. The colorable picture frame system according to claim 1, further comprising a spray bottle for application of said protective coating.
 3. (canceled)
 4. The colorable picture frame system according to claim 1, wherein said wood composite substrate is made from one material from the group consisting of MDF, HGF, fiberboard, and particle board.
 5. The colorable picture frame system according to claim 1, wherein said wrapped wood composite molding strip cut comprises a rabbet on an inside surface.
 6. The colorable picture frame system according to claim 1, wherein said paper is wrapped onto a front surface, an inside surface, and an outside surface of said wood composite substrate.
 7. A colorable picture frame system comprising a picture frame and coloring instruments; said picture frame comprising a wrapped wood composite molding strip cut and fabricated into a picture frame, said wrapped wood composite molding strip comprising a paper and a wood composite substrate, said paper having a printed design on a top surface with a bottom surface fastened to at least a front surface of said substrate, wherein said top surface of said paper does not have any protective coating over the printed design; and said coloring instruments comprising at least one from the group consisting of pencils, markers, crayons, and pens.
 8. The colorable picture frame system according to claim 7, wherein said wood composite substrate is made from one material from the group consisting of MDF, HDF, fiberboard, and particle board.
 9. The colorable picture frame system according to claim 7, wherein said wrapped wood composite molding strip cut comprises a rabbet on an inside surface.
 10. The colorable picture frame system according to claim 7, wherein said paper is wrapped onto a front surface, an inside surface, and an outside surface of said wood composite substrate.
 11. A colorable, wrapped, wood molding strip comprising a paper attached to a wood substrate, said paper having a printed design on a top surface with a bottom surface glued to at least a front surface of said substrate, wherein said top surface of said paper does not have any protective coating over the printed design; said wood molding strip further comprising a rabbet on an inside surface.
 12. The colorable wood composite molding strip according to claim 11, wherein said wood substrate is made from one material from the group consisting of MDF, HGF, fiberboard, and particle board.
 13. The colorable, wrapped, wood molding strip according to claim 11, wherein said paper is attached onto a front surface, an inside surface, and an outside surface of said wood substrate.
 14. A colorable, wrapped, molding strip comprising a paper fixedly attached to a substrate made from MDF, said paper having a printed design on a top surface with a bottom surface glued to at least a front surface of said substrate, wherein said top surface of said paper does not have any protective coating over the printed design; said wood molding strip further comprising a rabbet on an inside surface.
 15. The colorable, wrapped, molding strip according to claim 14, wherein said paper is attached onto a front surface, an inside surface, and an outside surface of said wood substrate. 